Brand strategy should be the foundations of every serious brand, of course not all brands need as much meticulous thought and consideration, if you are a small local company based on reputation, the logic for a brand strategy from a brand consultancy is mostly pointless, although one could argue that even these smaller organisations need to consider their brand to some degree, especially if they have potential for future growth.
Reasons and when to consider a brand strategy
Any serious brand should always build upon a serious strategic foundation, without it the organisation / brand stands the chance of toppling over at some point.
Often we are approached by either an existing brand or a new brand with an idea, mostly from the founder, CEO or owner, although we also often work based on reports or business plans built by one of the big 4. Either way, the most important thing is to establish if there is merit for the idea, what opportunity or market gap there is, what are the barriers to entry and how to position the brand in a way that will capture the hearts and minds of the target audience, and build marketshare and shareholder value.
The component parts of a brand strategy
There are many component parts to a brand strategy, the main areas for most brands form the following; brand research, brand audit, sector benchmarking, business strategy, market gap analysis and opportunity targeting, business mission, vision and values, a unique value proposition (UVP), purpose (but only if the brand can achieve a purpose beyond profit or shareholder value, we aren’t about purpose washing). All of this should be drawn from clear market segmentation, audience definition, and clear storytelling.
I also think it is very important for companies to understand the full circular experience that brands need to work well. For example, any brand is only as good as its staff, product or service, and what this really means is that a brand should start with who it employs, how it trains its employees, how it operates, and then all the way through to how the brand is expressed externally.
In essence, a good brand should:
- Start from a simple idea
- Have a clear market opportunity and gap
- A definition of its brand position (mission, vision, values, UVP, purpose)
- A good name (and all that goes with that, i.e. domain name, channel name availability, relevance or uniqueness)
- Trademark checks
- Brand architecture
- Brand endorsement strategy
- Co brand strategy
When it goes wrong
When a brand strategy is not followed or created properly, the consequences can be detrimental to the business. A clear and well-executed brand strategy aligns an organisation’s identity, messaging, and values with ts target audience. Without this alignment, brands can face several challenges:
1. Lack of Differentiation
Without a well-defined brand strategy, businesses struggle to distinguish themselves from competitors. This can lead to a commoditised perception where price becomes the only deciding factor for customers, eroding profitability.
2. Inconsistent Messaging
A poorly defined or neglected strategy results in mixed messages across marketing channels. Customers may feel confused or disconnected, undermining trust and loyalty. For example, inconsistent tone, visual identity, or value propositions dilute brand recognition and impact.
3. Weak Customer Connection
A robust brand strategy ensures that messaging resonates with the target audience’s needs and desires. Without it, businesses may fail to engage customers on an emotional level, making it harder to foster long-term relationships.
4. Reputational Risks
When brand values are not clearly defined or adhered to, businesses risk actions or messaging that conflict with customer expectations. This misalignment can lead to negative perceptions, public backlash, and damage to the brand’s reputation.
5. Inefficient Use of Resources
Without a strategic direction, marketing efforts often become reactive and scattered, wasting time and budget. Campaigns may lack coherence or fail to deliver a strong return on investment due to unclear goals.
6. Employee Disengagement
A clear brand strategy provides internal teams with a sense of purpose and direction. Without it, employees may feel disconnected from the brand’s mission, leading to inconsistent customer interactions and lower morale.
7. Missed Growth Opportunities
A strong brand strategy identifies key market trends and customer needs. Without this insight, businesses risk missing opportunities for innovation, expansion, and differentiation.
8. Difficulty Building Trust and Loyalty
Trust is a cornerstone of brand loyalty. Without a consistent strategy, businesses may fail to deliver on promises or align with customer values, making it challenging to cultivate repeat customers and advocates.
9. Higher Costs of Recovery
Once a brand’s reputation is tarnished or market position is lost, rebuilding it requires significant time and financial investment. This includes rebranding, customer outreach, and regaining lost trust, which can be far more expensive than establishing a clear strategy from the outset.
In summary, neglecting a brand strategy or failing to follow it undermines the very foundation of a brand. It results in missed opportunities, wasted resources, and weakened relationships with customers and employees. A solid and well-implemented brand strategy is essential for sustainable growth, differentiation, and long-term success.
When it goes right, a success story – Janes, Mollies, Sainsbury’s Tu
Janes
When we re branded Janes, we took them from a publishers based around military magazines, to embrace what they had become, which is the largest open source intelligence (OSINT) agency in the world. By taking them through a research and strategy process, and by applying a careful audit, we managed to understand where they were and how to get to their next stage in their evolution. A massive success for them, Janes has since grown from strength to strength.
Mollie's
Mollie's is a UK based hotel chain that goes beyond the norm. A brand that was once part of the Soho House portfolio, but which in fairness wasn't standing out or connecting in any particular way to consumers. It was housed in a great idea which was a play on the American roadside motel and diner, but the risk was that if the concept went too far it lost any sophistication and ran the risk of becoming a little glib and clichéd.
Through doing a lot of research, through a long series of interviews with the stakeholders, founder and leadership team, we worked out that the ideas they had were actually very insightful, and that there was an opportunity to blend a modern 'Soho House' with a cool and modern twist on American roadside, done in a British way.
We also spent a fair amount of time understanding the customer benefit, defining a brand strategy and then crafted the whole identity around what was at the heart of the proposition and purpose - for all people.
Sainsbury's Tu
Sainsbury's Tu was a highly strategic branding project, where we needed to unpick a complex history that had over time confused customers, where toilet brushes had become associated with Sainsbury's fashion, as well as a name that had created a great deal of confusion, with many customers pronouncing it as T - U rather. than the French word Tu (you).
Through a careful strategy we re built the brand which saw Tu bring in massive changes for Sainsbury's, a highly regarded success.
See some of the branding projects that we created brand strategies for:
AutoPro (brand strategy)
Diddy Bites (brand strategy)
ESF (brand strategy)
Eurotunnel (brand strategy)
Janes (brand strategy)
Kool Coffee (brand strategy)
Kool Smoothie (brand strategy)
Mobily (brand strategy)
Mollie's (brand strategy)
Stassen teas (brand strategy)
True English tea (brand strategy)
Sainsbury's Tu (brand strategy)
Janes
Garden rebrand Janes the global defence intelligence agency. Starting with brand audit and research, we defined a clear path through a brand strategy that saw Janes change their direction from being known as a publisher of military magazines and yearbooks, to a forward thinking intelligence agency specialising in delivering relevant, unbiased defence data.....
